


A Family Can Be Four Humans, A Half-Alien, Two Aliens and a Baby

by prince_sly_blue



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (keiths just distracted don't worry he also Pines™), Bad Writing, Canon-Typical Violence, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Lance (Voltron), keith the accidental dad, the team tries to help
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-09-20 08:46:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9483500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prince_sly_blue/pseuds/prince_sly_blue
Summary: The team finds a baby, Keith surprises everyone, Lance is pining, and things just go the way you think they will.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i saw a post once that suggested that keith was the one who was good with kids bc group homes and i ran with it
> 
> (also i had this started before season two and fixed it up so it was canon compliant, it's a while down the line though)
> 
> unbeta'ed

The dust settled. The building was destroyed, they were tired and hurt but they grinned. A clear victory, no one was seriously hurt, no complications, no weird alien magic. Just good old fashioned kicking ass. Pidge was the first to speak.

"That was freaking awesome. We were freaking awesome," they said, still panting, but their eyes were bright and their voice was clear. Things were finally going Team Voltron's way.

Hunk nodded enthusiastically, adrenaline keeping fatigue at bay. "Did you see? I got three guys with one shot," he said proudly, helping Lance up. Lance whooped and gave his best friend a one armed hug.

"Hell yeah I did! That was so cool!" he shouted. Shiro shook his head, smiling. He and Keith jogged to the other three, having wordlessly teamed up on a group of Galra drones.

Pidge turned to the two of them excitedly. "How did you guys do that back to back fighting? It was so cool! Did you even talk about it?" They asked. Keith shrugged in response.

"Shiro just gave lame one liners in my ear. I couldn't even see what he was doing so they weren't funny," he said teasingly. Shiro shoved him.

"I'm funny you little twerp, and you know it," He said, relaxed and invigorated. Keith rolled his eyes. "'Kay."

Lance was still jumping around Hunk, the two of them praising each other for cool things they saw the other do. "But when you kicked that one drone into the other one they both broke! Lance, do you realize how badass that was!!" Hunk was saying, just as they all heard a noise.

They all looked confused, with the exception of Keith, who immediately dropped into a protective stance. Shiro put a hand on his shoulder, listening for it again. It sounded alive and... "Is that a baby?" Lance asked. "You gonna protect us from the little baby, Keith?" Pidge teased as Keith straightened up. "Eat me, Holt."

Lance jogged to where the baby seemed to be. Behind some rubble there was a door, which he confidently went through. The others heard a loud cooing noise and more crying. Lance came back out with a fluffy purple baby in hand. "Guys!" He called excitedly, "Look at what baby Galra look like! They're so cute!" He came over to them, holding the baby by the armpits as it wailed.

"Lance, I'm pretty sure that not how you hold a baby," Hunk told him, "Isn't your family massive, shouldn't you know that?" But Lance shook his head. "I'm the baby in our family. I mean, when I left for the Garrison my sister was pregnant, and I was gonna meet the baby this summer," He said, trying not to think about his little nephew too much. "Point is, I've never held a baby," He finished.

Shiro and Pidge looked lost too, but to everyone's surprise, it was Keith who huffed softly and said, "Give it here." He took the screaming Galra and held it properly. Keith shushed the wailing child and rocked it until it was watching him with wide blank yellow eyes.

"Um." It was Hunk who spoke up, but everyone looked lost. Keith looked up at them all, never stopping in his movement to keep the baby calm. "What?" He asked.

"How do you know how to do that?" Pidge said incredulously. If they had to guess anyone on the ship shared their distaste for kids, it would have been Keith. But Keith actually laughed.

"I've lived in different group homes all over the state my whole life, you think I've never lived with a baby?" Keith said. "I mean," Shiro said, shrugging, "I just thought you hated kids." Shiro did know Keith best, but still seemed caught off guard.

Keith shrugged and said flippantly, "Babies aren't kids. Kids can talk. Babies are just like demanding loaves of bread." He looked down at the ball of purple fluff in his arms and a tiny smile came to him.

"What do we do with it?" Pidge asked Shiro. Shiro scratched the back of his neck, not really having a proper response.

"I can ask the princess..?" Shiro ventured, turning to Keith. "Can you keep it calm while I work this out?"

Keith nodded, but added, "I am kinda bleeding though." The others didn't really notice the gash on his shoulder until he pointed it out.

"Does it hurt?" Hunk asked, ever worried for his teammates. Keith shrugged with his other shoulder, a little awkwardly, because his arms were full of baby. "It's fine, I'll live," He said, looking back down at the baby. Hunk finally glanced at Lance who was slightly pink in the face looking at Keith. Hunk nudged Pidge, and discreetly guestured to Lance watching Keith, mouth slightly open and cheeks getting darker the more he looked. Pidge tried to hide a snigger. That brought Lance to reality, and looked to see his two friends looking very smug. His face darkened and he shook his head. Hunk rolled his eyes and Pidge actually snorted.

This made Keith pull his attention away from the softly cooing baby currently with his finger in a vice grip. "What?" He sounded defensive, and Pidge realized he thought they were laughing at him. "No, no dude, not you. Lance was just making a dumb face," they said, and Lance whirled around to them, eyes screaming betrayal. "I was not!" He shouted, until Keith shushed him.

"Please don't yell, I think it's falling asleep," He said, and Lance nodded meekly. "No problem. No one wants screaming baby on our hands," Lance said, trying to brush it off. But Hunk had to hold in a laugh.

Shiro jogged back, looking upset. "She's uh, hesitant to bring a baby Galra on the ship. Said it could be a trap," he sounded as if he disagreed. Similarly, all the other paladins frowned. "It's a baby though," Pidge said. "Isn't that stuff all in the nurture, not nature?" They asked.

Shiro sighed. "Honestly, I'm inclined to agree. I don't want to believe any race or species is inherently bad," He sounded tired already. Hunk nodded his agreement.

Lance had his arms crossed. "We have Keith," was all he said. But the unspoken other half of the sentence was clear. Keith shook his head. "I don't want to bring that argument back," he mumbled, but he was looking at the baby and his face betrayed his thoughts. Lance looked at Shiro incredulously and back to Keith. "You want to help that baby, right Keith?" He asked. Keith bit his lip and nodded.

Lance's face softened for half a tick but then he turned back to Shiro, upset. "Last time, it took Keith going on a suicide mission for the princess to remember that he's on our side," He said, but then he sighed. "I know we can't really get mad at her for hating Galra, like not really, but this seems like a really similar situation. Keith wasn't raised by Galra, this baby won't be raised by Galra." Lance was looking annoyed and indignant, but Keith watched him with a tiny smile. "Last time, we didn't really defend Keith," Lance continued. "We all need to realize that we should've." He sounded guilty, but squared his shoulders. "We have to opportunity to try again, and do better," Lance finished. Everyone was looking at him, surprised.

Shiro smiled then. "I'll call her again," was all he said, but he looked proud of Lance. "Everyone agrees on this?" He asked the group and they all nodded. "I'm not saying we keep it anyway..." Keith said quietly. "Just that we get it somewhere where we know it will be safe." Shiro looked at Keith for a long moment, then nodded, and went back off to the side.

Keith looked to Lance, a strange expression on his face. "Thanks," He said. Lance shrugged as if it was no big deal and smiled. "I know you think you don't have a vote." Keith looked surprised at how perceptive that was and nodded. "Can't have Allura thinking I favor any Galra.." He agreed, and Lance nodded. "I figured."

Hunk shrugged, "It's the right thing to do anyway." Pidge nodded. "Galra or not, babies are gross but defenseless," they said. Keith walked in between them. "Okay, but doesn't it look like a kitten and a human baby combined?" He asked, and they all got a good look at the baby for the first time. And Keith was totally right. Purple fluffy kitten ears and nose on a human baby.

"... Is this what Keith looked like as a baby?" Hunk joked. Keith made a face. "No," he wasn't bothered by the Galra jokes anymore, but he couldn't get them to stop. "Damn, I'd say it's an improvement," Pidge added, and Keith pulled away. "Okay, no more baby." All three of them whined but Lance complained, "I didn't even say anything!" Keith considered this for a moment and nodded. "Okay," he came to Lance's other side, and let Lance softly touch the baby's ears. "Holy crow, that's soft," he said, watching the baby with fascination. Just then, Shiro came back.

"It took some convincing, but she agreed," He said, smiling. "As long as everyone is clear we are not keeping the baby." Everyone nodded excitedly. "Alright, team, let's move out."

But when they got to their Lions, Keith hesitated. "Uh, Shiro? How do I fly while holding a baby?" He asked. Shiro laughed and started to answer, but then Keith looked at Red with that face that meant she was talking. He smiled up at her and turned back to Shiro. "Nevermind! We got this!" He sounded so pleased everytime his Lion talked to him.

Shiro laughed a little and climbed into Black and asked her out loud, "What on Earth is he doing?" He felt a rumble of a purr and smiled. "You down with this?" He asked her, and felt her positive energy. "Great. 'Cause this might get hairy with the princess." She reassured Shiro and Shiro was taken aback by how positive Black felt that he thought maybe she was communicating with Red. Red and Keith seemed so bonded these days.

They arrived at the castle, and Keith got out of his lion looking content, and even gave her a little pat on the nose. "Thanks, girl." He murmured. Coran was waiting for them in the hangar and walked right up to Keith.

"So this must be our littlest guest!" he exclaimed, before being gently shushed. "We have plenty of things for infant care in the castle, and I have lots of experience with babies, so if you need anything, you come to me!" Coran said, excited, but quiet.

"I actually do have a question, but it's a little awkward," Keith said, as they walked into the main part of the castle. "Anything dear boy!" Coran assured him. Keith looked a little embarrassed. "Well I can't tell if it's a boy or a girl, and I'm assuming the way to tell with humans isn't the same with Galra," he said, slightly flushed. But Coran just laughed. "Oh, well there is the most clear cut way, which, as far as I'm aware, isn't the same, but by the fur patterns on her face, I'd say it's a pretty safe bet to call her female!" Pidge wondered aloud, "Then how was Keith conceived?" But Coran ignored them and suddenly looked a little dark. "Actually that may help convince Princess Allura that we're doing the right thing here."

Keith looked confused. "Why?" He asked, "What is it about Galran women that's less dangerous?" But Coran shook his head. "Galran women aren't less dangerous, they're victims." Keith stopped walking, looking worried. "What?"

Coran suddenly looked uncharacteristically nervous. "Ah yes... Your Galra DNA... Um," he didn't look like he wanted to tell Keith. "Why are Galra women victims?" Keith asked quietly, forgetting that they had an audience of the other paladins. "Keith, you are human for all intents and purposes I-" Coran stalled for a moment and sighed. "Galra women are taken as infants," he gestured to the sleeping baby in Keith's arms. "To become brood mothers. I trust you know what that is?" Keith looked a little pale, but nodded. Neither Coran nor Keith heard Shiro rushing the other paladins away, out of earshot. "Your mother must have escaped somehow. Keith, I really have no idea how you came to be..." Coran said quietly. Keith's grip on the baby didn't tighten, but he became stiff, pulling the little Galra girl close to his chest. "I-it wasn't like that before the Empire though..?" He asked, and Coran shook his head emphatically. "Keith, Galra aren't inherently evil, we had many Galra friends and allies before the war. You should know this. The princess sometimes will forget, from her pain, but you must know. The blood in your veins has nothing to do with your moral integrity."

This was a lot in two minutes. Keith stared at Coran, distressed at the idea of brood mothers at all, let alone... the rest. "So this baby was..." he couldn't finish but Coran sighed and nodded. "Probably being taken to where they raise the girls until they are... of age." He finished. Keith shook. "But they aren't really of age, are they? Because on Earth, human girls can technically bear children as early as ten," he said, his voice shaking with anger. Coran looked sad to tell Keith all of this but Keith needed to know.

"Yes, Keith. They are still girls when they start," Coran said, and Keith felt sick. Like really sick. _That isn't you_ , Red's voice in the back of his mind reminded him. _I know, but it's still disgusting_ , he thought, and she agreed. Coran put a hand on Keith's back, and said, trying to get back his usual jovial tone, "Come on! I'm sure you, and our little guest are starving!" Keith smiled weakly and nodded. "Yeah, sounds great."

When they entered the main room, everyone stared, mostly at Keith. Allura strode over to him, face impassive. "Is this it?" She asked him and he nodded, his nerves from before suddenly back. But Allura gazed on the baby's face and she quietly said, "Coran, is this a baby girl?" When Coran nodded she made eye contact with Keith, and smiled a little. "Well, let's get some food in her..." The whole room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Lance walked over to Keith as Coran started to serve dinner, and disappeared into the kitchen to make formula.

"Hey," He said softly, looking apprehensive. "You okay?" Lance looked worried about him and for some reason, that made Keith smile. "Yeah. Just the more I learn about the Galra the more I wanna kick their ass." Lance laughed. "I can give you a head start," he said, kicking Keith's butt. Keith looked emotionless. "I'm wounded. Please, someone. Help me," he said in the flattest voice he could. Lance laughed. "C'mon, food," he said, going over to the last two places. Lance pulled the chair out for Keith, as he had his hands full of baby, and Keith thanked him absently, but then he caught the looks of Pidge and Hunk. They were snickering. When they saw they had Lance's eye contact, Pidge literally started doing a kissy face. Until Keith looked up, then both of them schools their expressions to be neutral as he ate.

Coran came out of the kitchen with a bottle filled with a blue liquid. Keith looked apprehensive as he took it. "Don't worry! It has all the nutrients a baby that size needs, and it won't upset her stomach!" Coran assured him. Keith glanced at it again, decided he trusted Coran, and gently woke the little girl. Keith knew waking her could result in a wailing fest that meant he'd have to leave the table, but when she opened her eyes blearily, she whined softly but as soon as she was presented with a bottle she took to it easily. Keith let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Lance watched all of this with an odd expression, that when he looked away Pidge made a big deal of sighing wistfully at Hunk, who gave them heart eyes in return. Lance stuck his tongue out at them. He didn't need them bullying him. He just... missed his family. That's it. It wasn't Keith at all.

That night when Coran set up a room for the baby they ran into a problem. Keith couldn't put her down without her starting to scream. He kept having to run back into their makeshift nursery and settle her before trying to go back to sleep himself. Shiro was sure everyone was hearing it, so by the third time, he just sighed and got up. He walked into the nursery to see Keith desperately trying to calm her down. "Let me try?" Shiro said, his voice thick with sleep. Keith did not hesitate. He handed her to Shiro while attempting to yawn into his shoulder. Shiro tried rocking her like Keith had done, and she did quiet, but she didn't stop. "Does she start screaming before or after you leave her alone?" He asked. Keith sighed, rubbing his eyes. "After," he mumbled. "I was hoping to let her cry it out, I had a foster mother who did that." Shiro frowned. "Do you think she'd sleep through the night if she was in your room?" Shiro asked. Keith sighed and Shiro winced. A sixteen year old boy doesn't necessarily want a baby sleeping in his room but nothing was coming to him while they were both so tired. Keith nodded, yawning again. "I'll try it," he said. Shiro smiled, handing her to him, which she immediately quieted. Shiro picked up the cradle and they only had the walk across the hall but Keith looked pensive the way there. "What's wrong?" Shiro asked, after setting the crib up.

"...Does she like me because I'm Galra?" Keith asked softly. Shiro sighed. "I don't think we'll ever know. You are the one who's been holding her all day, and fed her. She might have just imprinted on you," he said, hoping this would soothe Keith. Keith hated to be reminded of his heritage, and usually it was pretty easy to avoid. Keith smiled tiredly. "Thanks Shiro. Do you think... Do you think we could get the others to try and bond with her too? Tomorrow? It's just a lot of work and-" Keith was cut off by Shiro raising a hand. "Of course Keith. You aren't going to become this little girl's mother, just because you were the only one who already knew how to hold a baby," He assured. "Now I think all three of us should get some sleep." Keith nodded, settling the baby in her cradle. Shiro heard him shushing her as he left, but there was no crying through the rest of the night.


	2. Chapter 2

  
The next morning, quite unusually, but not unexpectedly, Keith was the last to join everyone at breakfast. The little Galra looked really young, definitely not even a year, but it didn't escape notice that Keith properly dressed her it was probably Allura's baby clothes. He sat at the table, and looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry," He mumbled, but everyone waved it off.

"It's completely understandable," Allura said. "I hear you had quite a rough night." Keith actually groaned and looked at the little baby, who had started to drool on his shirt. "She's... become attached," He said and Allura straightened up. "And that is actually our first order of business. While we have the infant in our care we will try our best to only be doing diplomatic missions, or missions that do not require all five of you. To the best of our ability, the castle will not be involved in any firefight, while she is here," Allura said, making brief eye contact with Keith.

"So, while the baby is here we're like, on vacation," Hunk said, sounding excited. "From fighting, mostly. But you will not be leaving all the care to Keith," Allura said, looking stern. "There will be times when I will need him to be free." She said this with such conviction, no one dared complain. But Keith met her eye and she spared him a small smile. Their relationship wasn't perfect, but it was mending, and to Keith, this was an amazing peace offering. "Thank you Princess," He said quietly. She nodded, then moved on. "Second, we will be stopping by an old Altean alliance this afternoon and will be spending the night, I expect everyone on their best behavior," her eyes slid to Lance as she said this and he sputtered a protest that went unrecognized. "It will be a fairly simple affair, Shiro, Coran and I will be meeting with the Archduchess, renewing our alliance, and then I believe we have been invited to a feast. Wear your uniforms, behave, and be friendly," she said, which was fairly usual for an alliance meeting.

"Any cultural things we should know, Princess?" Shiro asked. Allura smiled, "Yes, thank you for reminding me Shiro. The Marits are a female dominated culture, so I will be doing most of the talking." Everyone nodded but Keith coughed slightly.

"Sorry, to interrupt but um," He started and Allura smiled. "I have let the Duchess know that we are traveling with an infant. She was very accommodating, and was pleased to hear that we are helping the next generation of Galran women, as one of her biggest grievances with the Empire is their treatment of their women and girls," she said and Keith relaxed. He thanked her quietly, obviously a little uncomfortable to have all eyes on him.

Allura sat, finished with her morning review. Pidge grinned, "Finally, I'm starving." They immediately started eating messily. Hunk laughed at their gusto while Lance started to make pig noises at them, to which Pidge decided their impression wasn't realistic enough and literally shoved their face in the bowl. Everyone laughed and Allura, while laughing, begged Pidge to please never do that outside the Castle. Shiro smiled at their antics, but his gaze traveled to Keith and the baby. And he noticed he wasn't the only one, Lance, while engaged with the others, kept glancing to his side, watching Keith.

Keith was just glad the baby wasn't a fussy eater. He was the last to start eating, but she didn't cry. Everyone started filing out, making jokes and starting to get ready for the day. As he left, Shiro clapped a hand to Keith's shoulder. But Lance paused at the door. Keith sitting alone with the baby reminded him of his own overworked mother. Granted he had never seen her like that, but he knew it happened. So he went back, and sat with Keith.

"Hey," He said. Keith looked up, surprised. "Oh hey," He said, smiling. Lance felt something in his become very warm and said quietly, "You're becoming attached already, aren't you?" Keith laughed. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine when the time comes," he said, cleaning her up. Lance smiled as he watched. "Can I hold her?" he asked softly. Somehow it felt inappropriate to speak any louder. Keith looked up at him, surprised. But he nodded and showed Lance how to do it correctly. "Support her head, there, yeah," He said as he moved Lance's arms around. Lance felt the warmth heat up a little more again, and tried to pay it no mind. It's just having a baby around. Keith smiled at him when he sat back down and the little girl fussed for only a moment before relaxing. She watched Lance with her big yellow eyes, like he was a mystery she was trying to solve.

"What are you calling her?" Lance asked, looking away from her for only a second, just in time to catch Keith's blush. "Don't tell anyone," Keith said, "But I've been calling her Jezebel." Lance grinned and Keith swatted his arm. "Don't laugh at me!" he said, but he was grinning back. "I'm not, I'm not!" Lance assured him. "Where'd you get Jezebel?" He asked, looking back down at her. Keith sighed. "She reminds me of this foster sister I had for a few months. She was about this age, of course this was years ago, but I was responsible for her a lot of the time," He said, also watching the baby. "My foster parents at the time were totally overrun with kids and didn't have time for her. So I started taking care of her more and more. There have been other babies, but Jez always stuck with me," He said it quietly, afraid to break this weird bubble around them. Lance nodded. "You missed her when you moved?" He asked, hoping this didn't shut down the conversation. But Keith just sighed and continued, "Nope. She got adopted. Cute little babies are never in foster care long." Lance looked like he was going to ask more but then Shiro came in the room, breaking the spell.

"Hey, Keith I know you've got the baby but you've gotta get mov- Oh," He looked surprised to see Lance holding Jezebel so peacefully. But he recovers fast, Shiro's cool like that. "Well, at least she likes one other person," he said, smiling. Lance ducked his head, embarrassed but he couldn't tell why. But Keith laughed. "Yeah, she barely protested, thank god," he said, and then he looked back to Lance.

"Can you hang onto her while I get changed? There's already quiznakking spit up on my shirt," Keith said, not really annoyed. Lance nodded, "Yeah no problem, I'll just keep on cradling her in my arms as we bond." Keith, who had already started to walk away, turned and walked backward out of the room, "If you weren't holding her, I'd throttle you," he said.

Lance actually stared after him for a second before he snapped out of it. Shiro snorted. "When he comes back for her, you get ready too," he said as he also exited, trying not to smirk at Lance's blush.

Lance looked down at Jezebel and frowned. "You're making me sentimental, you gotta cut that out or everyone will think I have a crush on Keith," he informed her, to which she grabbed his shirt and gurgled. "That seems right," Lance said to himself.

Keith was quick, already in full uniform when he came to get her. He scooped her up and she actually giggled upon seeing him, if that's not the cutest thing in the world. "Thank you so much, Lance," He said, holding her close. "It sounds dumb but that was helpful." Lance shook his head. "No problem, man, I'll take her whenever you need," he said, waving Keith off as he left to put his own uniform on.

Unfortunately, it seems Hunk was passing at the exact wrong moment, and once out of Keith's earshot, "No problem Keith, whatever you need Keith, I have a lady boner for you, Keith." Hunk teased him relentlessly. Lance glared at Hunk while he changed. "The baby is making me sentimental, it's not Keith. And I can't have a lady boner! I have-" Lance cut himself off from that trap, and narrowed his eyes and Hunk laughed. "Come on man, the whole attracted to dudes with babies thing is such a girl thing," Hunk said as he laughed at Lance's almost-mistake. Lance frowned. "First of all, I'm sure there are plenty of gay dudes who are into parental types, second of all, I'm not into Keith!" he said indignantly, just as Pidge also entered the hangar.

"What were you lying?" Pidge teased, headed to their lion. "C'mon, Allura wants us to go soon. Where's your b-" Before Pidge could damn Lance to actual hell by calling Keith his boyfriend, Keith ran in. "We're here! Sorry, sorry!" He looked just... harassed.

"You okay, dude?" At least if Hunk is going to bully Lance, he can also be worried about Keith. Keith nodded, bouncing Jezebel over his shoulder. "Yeah, we just had a little-" He stopped. "You know what, it was gross, I won't tell you." Hunk and Lance laughed. "Thanks for that," Hunk said, ruffling Keith's hair.

Lance didn't want to say it in front of Hunk, and he knew Pidge could still see him from their lion, but- "Do you need help, dude?" Lance offered and he heard Pidge howling with laughter over their comm and Hunk had to cough to hide a snicker. Keith smiled at him though, so it was kinda worth it. "Just hold her for two ticks while I grab my helmet?" He asked and Lance nodded reaching for Jezebel. He actually really liked the name. Keith all too soon had his helmet on, and was taking Jezebel back. Thankfully Pidge had cut their comm and Hunk had finally got in his lion. Keith shot Lance and grateful smile and jogged to the Red Lion as Lance entered Blue, saying over comm so Allura and Shiro could hear him, "Sorry I'm late."

"Keith, we promise we get it," Shiro said, "You're usually the first one here, this is a totally understandable circumstance to be late. Everyone ready?" They all came back affirmative and they set off. It was a short flight, and Allura said it was mostly for show, people loved to see the lions.

When they landed, there was a huge crowd. Tall, thin, iridescent and purple people everywhere. The Martis had large black eyes and no nose, like classic alien, which Pidge and Keith got excited about over the comms and Allura reminded them to not say that in front of anyone, which they assured her they wouldn't. They had long arms, kinda like Nyma, and they all had black hair, but when they got closer they saw it was also iridescent like black beetles. The woman who was clearly the Archduchess met them on a podium. People were cheering and all the paladins waved and Allura shook the Archduchess's hand, (kind of? It was like shaking hands but kinda off.) The Archduchess smiled at the paladins warmly. She was wearing a tunic and harem pants, but silver, which took a moment effort not to laugh at, even if the effect was pretty. She raised her arms and the boisterous crowd became silent.

"My people, this long war against the Galra finally has hope, as the paladins of Voltron have returned to us!" She paused, and everyone cheered. "We are eternally grateful that Princess Allura of Altea has returned, and offered her alliance with us!" More cheering, it reminded Lance of Dumbledore, everyone having a good time, but no one dare speak while she spoke. "Now, I will meet with the Princess and two of her people, and after, we shall feast in celebration of this beautiful light at the end of this dark dark time!"

Wow, the woman could really get a crowd going. To be fair, they seemed pretty excited without her. The Duchess turned to them as her crowd began to try to get a better look at the paladins. "I do thank you for arriving in your lions," she said. "Some are not as confidant in your abilities as I, and it is good for them to actually see Voltron." Allura nodded. Huh, so the Duchess asked for that. Politics are weird everywhere. "Let's discuss the terms of our alliance so we may begin celebrating," Allura said, a smile playing on her lips. The Duchess smiled wide and had piranha-like teeth, that all the paladins managed to not react to. They were getting good at that. "Yes, and I have made accommodations for your paladins," She said, when she saw Keith and Jezebel. She looked excited. "Oh! Is that the child?" The Duchess asked, and Keith stepped forward. "Yes, Your Grace," Keith said, and she waved a large hand. "We don't need those formalities! Come walk with us," Keith didn't dare refuse her, so he walked in the front with the Princess and the Archduchess. The others could hear them talk though.

"It is unusual indeed to see a male mother," The Duchess was saying to the both of them. "Tell me child, how did this happen?" Keith adjusted Jezebel and shushed her as she started to fuss, which made the Duchess smile more.

"Uh, after we took down a Galra ship, we heard her crying. And I'm really the only one, except Coran, who has experience with babies. So I ended up with her the whole day, and she got attached," Keith said. "We only found her yesterday." She clapped her hands in delight, "You only found the child yesterday and she is already this attached to you?" Allura smiled encouragingly at Keith from behind the Duchess. "Uh yeah, I mean I was holding her and feeding her, and when babies are this young- well human babies that is- they tend to get attached to heartbeats, so if she attached herself to my heartbeat..." Keith kind of trailed off, perhaps thinking he spoke too much, but his story seemed to have done it's job. "Oh it is so nice to see a young man raising children!" The Duchess exclaimed. "Raising children very important to our people, it is seen are a near divine position. Of course it is a traditionally female position, but we are trying to be more equal these days." Allura looked very pleased.

When they arrived at the State building, they were surprised to see it was entirely made of glass. All the paladins looked impressed which seemed to please the Duchess's people. The Duchess seemed to be the tallest in the room and they wondered if it was a coincidence. "I would love to continue our conversation, Red Paladin, but I really must be going," she said, then she turned to Allura. "I apologize if I seemed rude, it's just terribly fascinating." Allura smiled, "Of course not, Your Highness. Would it be alright if Shiro, my black paladin, and Coran, my advisor, joined us?" The Archduchess agreed easily and the three adults were whisked away into a private room.

Now that they were alone it seemed the servants were to do everything in their power to make the paladins more comfortable. All of them were guided to a room clearly intended for royalty with plush couches and snacks across the long table. Unfortunately for Keith, it seemed the Duchess wasn't the only one impressed by a male parent.

Servants seemed to all want to get a good look at him and every single one asked if there was something he needed. When he finally asked if there was somewhere quiet he could feed Jezebel they seemed over the moon. They directed him to a spot with a circular plush chair in a quiet corner. Keith actually, had a bottle on him, where was he keeping that? Lance walked over to him, very politely declining every offer of assistance. When he finally made it to Keith, he looked exhausted.

"I'm so freaking tired just being here," Keith greeted him. Lance laughed and sat on the bench by Keith's circle chair. "I'm like, the last person you'd expect or want to hire as a babysitter, and yet," he sighed. "Do you not want to be?" Lance had thought he was reading that Keith liked little Jezebel, after all he named her. "No, no it's not that," he said quietly. "I just don't want this to become the only thing I do until she leaves, you know?" Keith shrugged it off but Lance knew what he ment. He had plenty of relatives who were spontaneous, cool people have their identities reduced to 'mom'. Not that there was anything wrong with being a mom, but Keith was right, it wasn't really him. "Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you're a natural," Lance teased. Keith shook his head. "I took care of Jez when I was nine." Oh. "I'm not a natural, I've learned," he said it quietly, like it was bad. "Besides she probably only likes me because we're the same." Lance shook his head. "How is a baby supposed to know about your DNA?" he asked, and Keith shrugged. "Exactly, they can't." Keith smiled softly, and murmured his thanks. "It's just like, I'm a pyro who loves weapons and martial arts, and I become the mom?" Keith shook his head. "Freakin' weird." Lance laughed, seeing Keith's point. "You are great with her though," he reminded him.

Over Keith's shoulder was Pidge, playing with robot guts (where did they get that?) and imitating a puppy, panting and wiggling their butt as a tail at Lance. Lance stuck his tongue out at them. Keith saw and looked over his shoulder to see Pidge strike a 'casual' pose. "What were they doing?" He asked, still giving Pidge a look. Lance shrugged, "Just bullying me." Keith laughed, "Good, my hands are full, so someone's gotta." Lance feigned shock and hurt. "Keith! I thought we bonded!" He flopped dramatically over the bench. Keith looked unimpressed. "I gotta go to the bathroom, can you take Jezebel, drama queen?" Lance sat up and nodded, holding out his arms for her. He smiled at her cute lil catlike face. But before he could blink, there was Pidge. "You look like a lovestruck schoolgirl, and he looks like your friends really hot and tired single dad. Steven's Dad by Fountains of Wane," they joked, stealing Keith's seat. Lance glared. "I like the baby," he said, and he internally cringed at how defensive he sounds. Pidge looked unimpressed. "Uh huh, so tell me, who named her Jezebel?" They flashed him a wicked grin. "Was it a team effort, did he ask for your help-" Lance cut them off. "Keith did. Alone, and he asked me not to tell anyone so shut up."

"Not to tell anyone what?" Fuck. Lance looked up, to see a genuinely curious, and not angry Keith. Pidge swooped him to save him though, "Oh, I overheard you call the baby Jezebel-" Keith turned a very bright red. "- and I asked Lance about it, and he was just telling me you were keeping the fact that she has a name lowkey." Keith nodded, still red. "Yeah, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone..." He said, and Lance had to give him credit, for how embarrassed he looked, he didn't sound it. Pidge nodded. "Of course, dude, you know I always got your b," they grinned at Keith and Keith grinned back, face fading.

Pidge got up to let Keith sit but didn't leave. "What's up, Pid?" Keith asked, and since when did Keith call them Pid? Pidge smiled a little ruefully. "Can I see her? Like for real?" they asked. Keith nodded and started to instruct Pidge how to hold her but Pidge interrupted. "Whoa, I don't think I'm ready for that. What if, you hold her, and I sit like, right, here," they said, climbing up to settle themself behind Keith in the chair. Almost so their chin was on his shoulder. Keith laughed. "Yeah sounds good." He took Jezebel back and smiled at her when she opened her eyes. "Hey. This is Pidge," He whispered. Lance could see Pidge's heart grow three sizes that day, and wanted to say so out loud, but... He had gotten a chance to have his moment with Jezebel and Keith, so he'll just let Pidge have their turn.

Lance went over to bother Hunk and they talked about nothing in particular, passing time easily. Hunk was in the middle of telling Lance a very complicated engineering joke Lance knew he wouldn't get when Princess Allura exited the Archduchess's chambers with her, Shiro and Coran.

Both leaders looked very happy, and Shiro and Coran, though ignored, looked pleased as well. All the paladins watched them as they parted ways. Allura gestured for the four teenagers to follow her. They all quickly fell into line. "That was extremely successful," She sounded almost smug. "Keith, I have to thank you for going along with all her questions, it jumpstarted an at length conversation about how the Galra treat their own women and children," Allura added, and Keith looked surprised. "Of course, Princess," he said. Once directly outside the castle, Allura turned to face them all. "While they set up their banquet, we will be changing into formalwear," She said, and Lance laughed. "The leader of their country wears harem pants, how fancy can it be?" Allura shot him a look. "From what I understand, our standard of formalwear. Go," She ordered, sending them off. All of them went into their rooms and as soon as Keith was in his room there was a loud wail.

Everyone individually groaned. Keith poked his head out the door of his room, to find both Shiro and Lance waiting. "When one of you is done, can you take her for a moment? She's not fussy if you hold her, I guess she just really doesn't want to be put down right now," He asked, big pleading eyes at both of them. Both of them nodded, because of course they did.

Lance tried to do every step of his routine faster, so he could be done first and take Jezebel. But when he finally left his room, everyone was waiting for him and Keith, and Jezebel was tucked in Shiro's big arms. She was perfectly calm, too. Lance felt a little betrayed. Now Keith wouldn't have to rely- no. Lance stopped his train of thought there.

Keith exited his room, and Lance swallowed, a fact which didn't seem to escape anyone but Keith's notice. The formal versions of their uniforms were similar in design, but they were looser and flowing, came in separate pieces, and most planets recognized it as formal. They concealed bayards well, and looked damn good. Lance thought they looked like what a white person might mistake for a sari. Keith took Jezebel back, smiling at her. "Thanks, Shiro," He said, tucking a piece of hair falling from his ponytail behind his ear. Lance stared, which made Pidge smirk. Allura and Coran joined them, wearing something similar, but clearly made for royalty in blues and gold. Allura seemed happy that they were all ready in such a timely manner.

The banquet hall was huge, glittering, and made of pastel stained glass. (And Allura had been right about the dress code of course.) The Archduchess sat on the highest platform, then the Archduke and their daughter, the Princess, then all the other people who lived in the State House, then everyone else. Allura and Shiro were invited to sit up top with the Archduchess, which they did. Then Archduchess's daughter invited Keith to sit by her. Keith made very fast eye contact with Allura, who minutely nodded her head. Keith went with her, glancing at the others, who gave him thumbs up, and smiles, except Pidge, who whistled. Thank god wolf whistling wasn't a universal constant. Allura would have killed them.

Keith really wasn't that far from the rest of the paladins, who as guests of honor, were also seated at the level of the Archduke and the Princess. But by agreeing to sit by her, he had to entertain her, and Jezebel. Lance glared at his food. He hissed to Pidge, who was sat next to him, "He's too busy for this, what is she doing?" Pidge gave him a look, and murmured in a nasal voice, "What's she doing, Keith only has time to flirt with me!" making Hunk laugh.

Keith was bouncing a babbling Jezebel on his knee, as he tried to listen to the Princess and was kinda desperate for the banquet to start. He didn't even really follow what she was saying, but like everyone else on this freaking planet, it was about him raising Jezebel, which he wasn't even doing. Keith just tried to agree at the right spots and listen for questions so he could answer them, while still paying attention to a baby Galra. He was getting frustrated already, when the Archduchess stood, said some words about light in the dark, the importance of celebration in dark times, and how lucky they were to have Voltron by their side. All pretty basic stuff.

The food arrived, and the servers must have known about Jezebel, because they brought Keith baby food and Galra baby formula as well as his meal. He thanked them, but as the meal went on it was clear he was getting pretty irritated with the Princess.

It was very obvious to everyone who knew him that Keith was done talking to this girl. He was doing really well keeping it together, but Hunk discreetly signaled to Allura to look at Keith and when she did she looked very nervous. It occurred suddenly to Hunk that a lot of the Marti alliance was because of Keith, and he had to keep it together. Hunk, who was sitting next to Keith, tapped him.

"I am so sorry to interrupt, Princess," He said smoothly, "But uh, Keith, do you want one of us to feed the baby?" Keith looked at Hunk like he was a literal savior. But the Princess looked less pleased. Pidge actually groaned, and whispered to Lance, "She's into the novelty of him and Jezebel, not Keith." Lance scowled. No one deserved that, not even Keith. Lance bitterly thought about how shallow some people could be and continued glaring at his dinner.

But Keith was almost pushing Jezebel onto Hunk. His stress was palpable. "He's gonna lose it, if he can't pass Jezebel or the Princess off, he can't focus on both..." Lance murmured to Pidge, who nodded. The Princess looked like she was actually protesting Hunk taking the baby. Keith's eyes widened a fraction indicating a pretty big Keith Freak Out, and Pidge said out loud, "Oh no." But Hunk looked to Allura, who nodded. So Hunk insisted, physically taking her and the baby food to the other side of him, in between himself and Pidge. Lance couldn't help but wave to Jezebel, she looked so little in Hunk's big arms. The Princess did not look happy, but it seemed all this finally caught the Archduchess's attention, and the others could hear her say, "You will stop that, this instant. This boy is our honored guest, not a toy!" And Lance smiled, knowing the Duchess got Keith's back. The Princess didn't seem that interested in Keith anymore, who was perfectly fine with that, and chatted with Hunk. Hunk hung onto Jezebel for the rest of the dinner, because Keith really seemed like he needed a break.

And while Hunk had her, Keith became more relaxed, he actually challenged Lance to a match with the Gladiator, which Lance readily accepted. He left this responsibility mode, that didn't really suit him in the first place. Shiro noticed from platform above, and smiled. Lance, no longer worried about Keith, chatted with his fellow paladins, and the Duke, who was a pretty cool guy, despite having little to no power. The night passed peacefully on, but no one forgot how stressed and close to the breaking point Keith had been.

After the banquet ended, and the Archduchess said a few more words that none of the paladins paid any attention to with the exception of Shiro, he always paid attention, everyone got up, and the servants started moving the tables and chairs off the floor. Lance looked to Shiro, confused. Shiro sighed and said quietly to the other paladins, "There's a kind of party now, I think there's dancing, but I'm not sure."

But that was enough for them. Hunk and Lance high fived, while Keith groaned. Pidge could eventually be persuaded to join a party, but Keith was stand offish at best. He hated parties, they were too loud and had too many people. But as everyone was getting excited, he took his usual "Emo Party Corner", as dubbed by Lance.

Hunk came up to him, looking a little nervous. "Hey Keith?" he asked, but Keith already knew what he was going to ask. "Yeah, I can take her back. Go have fun," He said, smiling but resigned. Hunk looked apologetic, but still ran off with Lance and a slightly less energetic Pidge.

A voice came up by his side. "May I?" It was Allura, smiling at him. Keith raised his eyebrows, pulling up a chair for her. "Yeah, of course," he said, glad to see her initiate contact. She smiled at sat with him, watching the party start to pick up.

"What are you thinking about, Keith? You look deep in thought," she asked, but it didn't sound like an order like most of Allura's questions. Keith shrugged. "I don't know. This planet's been treating me weird," he mumbled and she nodded with a sigh.

"Yes, it is a fairly odd coincidence we were so close after picking her up," Allura said but Keith eyed her skeptically. "You didn't plan this?" He asked. She smiled cryptically and Keith smiled back a little.

"Keith?"

Keith looked back at her and she looked uncharacteristically apprehensive. "I was wondering... How you were doing with- with your mother," Allura said with a concerned air. Keith sighed, pulling Jezebel closer.

"I don't know. I know she's Galra, but she was a victim too, you know?" Allura nodded. "But I hate the Galra, and she made me... This." Allura sighed, feeling for her paladin.

"You seem to have more complex thoughts then even that," she prodded gently. Keith frowned. "I dunno..." he said, looked frustrated. Allura waited a beat then, "She may be a freedom fighter now." And Keith stared at her, not really comprehending what he was hearing. "Do you think..?" he asked softly. She nodded. "If she rebelled against the Galra and somehow escaped Zarkon's hold on her, then she may still be rebelling," Allura said. Keith sat back and thought for a moment, before saying softly, "You've been thinking this over?"

Allura looked a little embarrassed. "I reacted blindly to you at first, and since you disclosed that the Galra blood was from your mother's side... I do admit I was stumped. So, yes, I thought it over several times," She said, and Keith tried not to let the emotion show in his face. "I appreciate it," he mumbled, and Allura smiled a little.

"But, uh, it's not just that," he said, actually blushing a little. Allura watched him, clearly listening, but not interrupting. "It's kinda stupid..." Keith mumbled. "When I was a kid, I hated her, you know? Like, why would she leave me? But it was okay, because I had Dad, only then, I didn't have Dad anymore and I was alone, because of her." He said all this in one go, like if he didn't say it now he never would, and privately Allura thought that wasn't too far off. "So I want to let go of that, because now I know that she couldn't have stayed with us if she wanted to, she's an alien. But she's Galra, and she left me with my dad who... wasn't great." Keith made a face, like he wasn't totally present, and he was upset at himself for having these thoughts.

Allura sighed. "That's... quite a lot to process," she said. Keith nodded. They sat in companionable silence for a while, both occasionally entertaining Jezebel.

Soon enough, a lower level nobleman asked Allura to dance, which she accepted, looking a little apologetic to Keith, who shrugged. Keith didn't mind alone time, and he wasn't really alone, he had the baby. Even if she wasn't much for conversation. When no one was in earshot, he whispered to her. It was almost nonsense, but it passed the time.

The others were dancing, an odd mix between what sounded like Marti club music and partner ballroom dance. Hunk and Lance danced together energetically, and over dramatized. Shiro and Pidge switched between talking and dancing every so often. Once Shiro even put Pidge on his feet to dance them around, much to their embarrassment.

After about and hour of on and off dancing Pidge yelled over the music that they were going to get Keith. They found him in the same corner and pulled him up. "Come on, have fun," they demanded. Keith shook his head. "I don't even like parties," he protested, "And I have Jez!" Pidge scoffed. "Shiro will take Jez, come on! Dance like an idiot with me." Keith smiled and nodded, to which Pidge cheered, leading Keith to Shiro, forcing the older man to take a squirming Jezebel. Shiro did so gladly, teasing Keith for getting persuaded to dance. Keith stuck his tongue out at him as he and Pidge went to the dance floor.

Predictably, they made fools of themselves. Keith propped Pidge up on his feet and danced them around as if they was five years old. When the tempo changed, Pidge started to twerk, to the fascination of their alien allies. Keith doubled over in laughter and Pidge's antics and, after much cajoling, was convinced to dab with them and the others. Shiro laughed off to the side as the kids danced, and was quietly joined by Allura, who may not have got all the jokes, but still thought they were very funny.

After a long while of dancing like idiots, the paladins were getting tired. The four younger paladins were sitting on the floor in a corner as if they were at a middle school dance. They joked and pushed each other, telling stories of school dances that they had been to. Lance insisted that awkward dances were a vital part of the school experiences, while Keith and Pidge vehemently denied it. Hunk watched his friends battle it out, neutral on the subject.

"No, no, you don't get it Keith," Lance was saying hotly, "The awkward sweatiness of it all is what makes it great!" Keith shook his head, laughing, as Pidge interjected, "No way, even if we didn't go to space I would never go to a school dance." Hunk shrugged, "This actually reminds me a lot of the dinner dance from our first year at the Garrison, right Lance?" Lance nodded. "We were too cowardly to ask anyone to dance with us, so we decided to dance with each other and then we devolved to the floor-sitting-no-shoes part," he agreed. "Only this time if we do it wrong a major war alliance is on the line," Keith added, leaning heavily against Pidge, toppling thim over. Hunk and Lance laughed and Pidge's indignant expression, and their attempts to shove Keith off them.

After about an hour of chatting and being silly Shiro came to them, telling them that the dance was ending, and they had a servant coming to take them to their rooms. Keith took Jezebel as a small servant boy came to them.

"Paladins, I am to show you to your quarters," he said, bowing slightly. Shiro gestured for the boy to lead the way. It was a short trip to a very large corridor. The boy bowed again, as they each found the doors with little colors lions on them, in stained glass. The glass was so thick they couldn't see through, but they could see on each other's faces the apprehension of sleeping in a glass bedroom.

But with no complaints, they all disappeared into their rooms for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol so you guys had some really sweet comments last time, so i hope this lives up to your expectations. i know what's going to happen, but i have know idea how long it will take to get there so i hope you guys enjoy this, most of the fic will be peaceful/cute, until the end.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry this took so fucking long?? the middle parts of any story get me stumped so this was a hassle to write but you guy's comments really helped!!   
> \--  
> also i changed pidge's pronouns (pls don't kill me) i just don't want anyone to feel alienated from a story because of something that seems so personal for everyone  
> please don't come for me i don't want to engage in the Discourse i'm literally trying to include more people

Keith didn't get much sleep that night. He lay awake, thinking of his parents, how impossible it seemed his existence was. He thought absently of how brave his mother was, and how afraid she must have been, escaping like that. Jezebel slept soundly in her glass crib and Keith turned over to watch her. He knew he was being stupid, and he couldn't save every single orphan. But he wanted to. His weakness for children is peril could kill him if he wasn't careful, but he couldn't think of a better way to die. For the other paladins. Yeah, they were the most important people in life, possibly ever. Keith would do literally anything for them.

Keith fell asleep and dreamed of his newfound family and his birth parents. He woke just as he was about to see his mother's face. Keith didn't remember a thing.

It was morning anyway, he might as well get up. He dressed quickly in the clothes provided for them, more tunics and harem pants but this time in red. Keith picked up Jezebel slowly, as to not wake her too abruptly. He glanced around and laughed a little. He hadn't paid much attention last night, being tired, but the basically put him in a very elegant nursery with a queen sized bed. Whatever, he thought, easily changing and dressing Jez. Makes life easier I guess.

After exiting his room, he saw the only other person awake was Pidge.

"Did you sleep at all?" He asked, sitting next to them as they did something on their laptop that was totally lost on him. Pidge shrugged.

"You look tired, I didn't hear her at all," it wasn't phrased as a question, but Keith sighed. "A lot on my mind I guess." Pidge snorted. "Reasonable."

They sat together quietly until Hunk and Lance exited their rooms at the same time, as if planned. "They're still on Garrison time," Pidge commented, and Keith nodded.

"Morning guys!" Hunk said, grinning. "And good morning to you," he said, poking Jezebel's chubby stomach. She giggled. Lance looked around, "Where's Shiro? He's usually first up." "Oh he was," Pidge answered, pushing their glasses up. "He and the Princess had some early morning meetings." Hunk and Lance nodded, sitting with them.

"That guy's crazy," Hunk said. "Like does he ever rest?" Keith shook his head. "He's been like that as long as I've known him." There was a beat then, "How long have you known him?" asked Lance. Keith thought back, running a hand through his hair. "Uh, man I don't know. I'm pretty sure I was eight when we met, I was kinda forced into the Big Brother Big Sister program. And they assigned Shiro to me. I was what they call a 'problem child', but uh, Shiro stuck around, you know?" Suddenly Keith turned pink, thinking he shared too much. "Ah sorry, that's not what you asked..."

But the other were listening closely and Hunk said quickly, "No, no, you can keep talking if you want. I'd love to know what teen Shiro was like," He laughed a little, trying to subtly help Keith open up to them. This was the most they've gotten him to talk about himself since they met. Keith laughed a little, "Shiro was emo in middle school." They all laughed. "No way!" Lance said, "You're the emo one!" But Keith shook his head, grinning. "I wish I had my pictures. I had them all saved to my phone."

"You'll have to show us when we get home," Lance said. Keith briefly imagined all of them in his ramshackle home, his childhood everywhere he looked. "I can show you the pictures, yeah," He said. "Shiro will hate me."

They got into the groove of conversation then, chatting about mostly nothing, joking around about their embarrassing phases.

"Lance was a furry!" Hunk exclaimed as Lance explained that Hunk used to Naruto-run down the street in their neighborhood. "I was not!" Lance yelled, as Keith and Pidge laughed. Pidge's eyes were starting to water when they said, "Lance, Lance, I gotta know what your fursona was," they begged. "Please, Lance. It's vital information." Lance pouted before mumbling, "A blue fox." Pidge burst out laughing, before they heard Shiro come up from behind them, "I know your brother Pidge, you might want to be a little nicer about embarrassing phases." Pidge looked up, horrified. "You wouldn't dare," they hissed. "Wouldn't I?" Shiro' eyes sparkled with mirth. Pidge pouted as everyone watched Shiro expectantly. "Someone here liked Homestuck quite a bit," he said, not managing to hide his grin.

Hunk and Lance groaned simultaneously, but Keith leaned in to Pidge and mumbled, "Same," just as Allura found them.

"Ah! Paladins, so glad to you're awake, we must get moving," Allura said. "We have a ceremony for our departure, and then it's on to our next diplomatic mission." She said this with a smile but Keith deflated a bit. He found diplomatic missions more exhausting then battle most days, and right now he could really go for some hand to hand. But all the paladins put their uniforms on, and followed Allura to the space were they were greeted. The Archduchess walked to the glass podium, smiling at her cheering people. She put a hand up, silencing them.

"It has been an honor and privilege, meeting and working with the paladins of Voltron. These brave young souls fight for our, and many others, freedom everyday." She paused to let the people cheer before speaking again. "It is within our alliance, that with our help, the paladins will find the poor women and children the Galra have enslaved." The tone became solemn, and the paladins were impressed with the Duchess's charisma again. "We are protected, we are fighting, and we will make sure every being across the galaxy is free." The cheers were enormous, and Allura stepped forward, smiling at them all.

It's easy to forget Allura is a Princess, living with her, so it was a little awe inspiring, seeing her look so regal. "The Marti have long been allies of Altea, our only wish was to renew that alliance." She said. "My planet may be gone, but the fight against the Empire will live, as long as we fight. We are strong." Allura spoke so firmly it seemed to pump up the Marti crowd. "We are stronger then Zarkon thinks. And that will be his biggest mistake. The power of Voltron is on your side, the people of Marti. Each citizen is under our protection. Now we must continue the fight, and say goodbye to your beautiful planet. But we will always return when called upon." They cheered and Allura waved, and stepped down. The Archduchess took Allura's hands in her own and asked, "Are you sure you must leave immediately? You are always welcome here, and we would love to keep celebrating our alliance." Allura smiled gracefully. "As much as we would enjoy that, we have a very busy schedule, you understand," she said, and the Archduchess waved her hand. "Oh of course, Princess. But know you will always be welcome here, and we will be at your service at a moment's notice," she reminded her. Allura nodded, "We are grateful to have such enthusiastic allies." The Archduchess let them go, waving them off.

"Good job, Princess. Your father would be proud," Coran said to her, putting a hand on the small of her back and guiding her to the Castle. "I am glad. I worry sometimes my diplomatic skills aren't what they should be," She said, sounding relieved.

They waded through a crowd of excited Marti, all of whom wanted to see or even touch one of the Paladins of Voltron. Keith tried to curl as much of his own body around Jezebel's protectively.

They boarded the Castle and waved as the doors shut. As soon as it was closed they all dropped their diplomatic airs. Hunk actually groaned. "I know this was one of the easier planets we've aligned with, but it's still so weird," he said, and the others agreed, dropping on the couch. (Lance once called this space the "family room" and it stuck.) Shiro shrugged. "I don't mind it that much, all it is is figuring out compromises," he commented. Lance nodded. "I like them. At least I like them more then being shot at," he joked. Allura frowned slightly. "Well you all better start having Lance and Shiro's attitude because that was an easy one. We're going somewhere where things are more..." She frowned. "Tense."

"Tense how?" Shiro asked. Allura grimaced. "It seems there is a faction of Vivarians who wish to surrender to the Galra in hopes they will be spared." Hunk made a face. "Don't they know how imperialism works?" he asked. Allura sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It seems like they are too afraid to think critically, which is understandable it's just... inconvenient for us," she answered, sounding stressed.

Shiro clapped his hands together. "Well team, that just means we have to convince the Vivarians that we are stronger then the Empire, and we can win this war," he said, sounding more confidant then any of them felt. But Lance and Hunk grinned. "Oh yeah, we can do that!" Lance said. "We'll just form Voltron and show off our super cool weapons," Hunk added. Allura smiled, only a bit tiredly. "I like your enthusiasm, boys," she said. Pidge smiled too, putting a hand on their hip. "For only seven people, we are pretty formidable," they said smugly.

"Well we are the defenders of the universe," Keith said. Jezebel gurgled just then and everyone laughed. "It seems our littlest member is confidant in our abilities as a team!" Coran said. "Also, Keith, the baby will be staying in the castle with me this time around. We need you on the ground, but with the political climate as it is, we don't want to endanger her," he said brightly, reaching out for the baby. Keith handed her over gladly.

"Good. I want to actually do my job this time," Keith said. He did pet her head though, as she grabbed at him.

After an easy wormhole jump, they arrived. Vivaria was a smallish planet, Pidge making a comment about gravity and wondering if they'd bounce on this planet like astronauts did on the moon. The most notable thing about the planet however, was that it was mostly water. Lance looked on excitedly, remembering how well Blue had done last time she was underwater. When he asked however, Allura told him there would be no need to go underwater. "Besides, I would rather not let the Lions out of their hangers here. Creatures that wish to surrender may feel if they give the Galra Voltron..." she trailed off but they understood, Lance looking only a little disappointed.

They landed in a marshy area, with blue trees and algae, and the water looked orange, like the sky. There was not a crowd waiting for them like on Marti. A clearly royal figure and three people behind them. Team Voltron exited out the Castle, and met these Vivarians.

The royal Vivarian was a navy blue, with wide white eyes, their hair was all the way down their back and tentacle like, (without suckers.) They were a little unsettling to look at, if pretty. They bowed to Allura, who bowed back. When they straightened, they smiled, revealing that they had no teeth at all.

"It is an honor to see a natural born Altean in the flesh, Princess," they said, lisping slightly. Allura inclined her head. "It has been many decaphebes since our people last had contact, but I do hope we are still on good terms, King Liazar," she responded. King Liazar smiled warmly. "My kingdom my not be united, but on a personal level, you are always welcome here, Princess." Allura smiled back, taking their proffered arm. The three Vivarians with the King were bigger and a paler blue, and seemed to just be body guards as they didn't speak or make eye contact with any of the paladins. The guards, and the paladins followed the two royals to... a mud castle. It was extravagant and beautiful, but mud. They entered, and everything looked elegant, but the paladins couldn't shake the dirty feeling. Once they entered the throne room, the King took their seat and finally looked to the paladins.

"And I am of course honored to have the fabled paladins of Voltron as my guests," they said smoothly, as if they hadn't ignored the paladins for ten minutes or so. The paladins followed Allura's example and bowed, to receive a nod back.

"We are glad to be here, Your Majesty," Shiro said. "We only hope to be of help." The King sighed. "If it were up to me, Black Paladin, we would accept immediately. But my court and people are not all in agreement," they said. Allura interjected, "If I may, King Liazar, my paladins are very capable and more then have proven themselves to be so." Liazar nodded. "I know, Princess, but it is difficult to show my people that after ten thousand long years," they sounded haggard. "We have suffered, we have lost good Vivarians. I wish to continue the fight, but I do not have the support I need to make it happen." Allura frowned, "As I remember, Vivaria is a monarchy, can you not do as you wish?" King Liazar smiled at her. "Ten thousand years ago, yes, but we have evolved. We have a Parliament to ensure we don't have an imbalance of power." She nodded, deep in thought. "Will I be speaking to your Parliament tonight?" she asked. He nodded. "Is there something we can do in the meantime to prove to your people that we can win this war?" Shiro asked. King Liazar looked deep in thought for a moment then looked up, brow furrowed. (This only put in sharp relief how expressive having eyebrows is, as the King didn't.)

"There is... a set of trials. We haven't used them in a very long time though..." they said softly. It sounded as if Liazar was speaking to themself. Shiro watched them, trying to tell what they were planning. "I don't see any other way.. But it is barbaric by our modern standards," they mumbled and Allura's face lit up with recognition. "Well, Your Majesty, I'm sure with slight adjustment we could have a fair set," she said. King Liazar looked surprised at her willingness to do these trials.

Keith was torn, because he wanted to prove themselves, he wanted the Vivarians to accept them but... The last trials he went through, he nearly died only to give up. Shiro seemed to think of that too, glancing at Keith. The royals spoke in hushed tones as the teenaged paladins started to get fidgety. They had no role in proceedings such as these, and all of them hated inaction. Lance bumped Keith's arm, getting his attention. Keith looked at him questioningly, and Lance whispered, "How do you think they eat with no teeth?" Keith held back a smile and shrugged. Pidge was looking around for literally any tech, anything to amuse them. Hunk was watching the Princess and the King talk with a glazed over look in his eye.

There was a few more moments of chat between the King and Allura before the turned back to the paladins. "We have decided that you will be participating in the Trials of Gloznik," said the King. Allura looked a little annoyed. "But to be ready, you must spend eight moons with us." Shiro nodded. "Thank you for this opportunity, Your Highness," he said, sounding one hundred percent sincere. "Thank you paladins, for being so interested in my little planet," they said.

One of the guards came over to the younger paladins and the King said, "I must speak with the Black Paladin and the Princess alone for now. Please, Hoknir, show them to their rooms." Hoknir held the door out of the room open so they assumed they were being dismissed, and after bowing once more, they left with the guard. Hoknir wordlessly guided them to a grand looking hallway, gesturing at a wall of doors.

"Thanks!" Lance chirped. "We're good though, we're gonna hang for a bit." Hoknir nodded and left them be. They found a lounge area on a nearby balcony and were quiet for a second before Keith groaned. "I barely survived Marmora and now they want me to do it again?" He collapsed in his plush chair. The other made sympathetic sounds back to him. "... Are they amphibious?" Hunk wondered aloud. "They look amphibious." Pidge nodded. "They're frogs, confirmed," they said. Lance mumbled "Here come that boy," chuckling a little and sat himself so his legs hung over the edge of the balcony.

"You okay, Lance?" asked Hunk. "Yeah, I'm just wondering why we have to stay so long," he said. The others nodded. "It's weird," Pidge agreed. "I don't like it. I don't want to stay on a planet with people who want to surrender, or possibly help, the Galra," Hunk said. Keith nodded, but said nothing.

They got talking again, comparing the Marti grandness to the mud, marshy-ness of Vivaria. After a while of comparing the practicality of glass versus mud, Keith spoke up. "Do you think keeping us here is a trap?" he asked under his breath. Pidge frowned. "That did occur to me," they admitted. "It's suspicious and we shouldn't let our guard down, but the King does seem sincere." Hunk and Lance nodded, Hunk stretching. "Do you think all the planets we visit while we have the baby will just get more difficult?" he asked and Lance shrugged. "Hard to be easier then Marti," he said and they all agreed.

"What do you think the Trials of Gloznik are?" Keith asked. Pidge grimaced. "Can't be fun, the King called it 'barbaric'," they said. The others nodded their assent. "If it's anything like the Trials of Marmora.." Keith said, already tired. "But you got through that okay? Well not, great, but-" Hunk started but Keith shook his head. "I quit." All of them stared back in shock.

"You quit?" Lance asked, and Keith nodded. "Yeah, the suit they put me in made me hallucinate and I quit. It wasn't worth it." They all sat there, absorbing this information. Keith and Shiro had said next to nothing about what went down in the Blade of Marmora base and this was the first detail they had heard about it. "So uh, what else happened? So we have some idea of what we're in for," Pidge asked.

Keith told the story of his over twenty four hours of intense battle, the hallucinations, the knife's transformation and Red saving him fairly succinctly. He had to work to keep a calm attitude when he spoke of the visions of his father and Shiro. He told it flippantly but the other paladins were becoming more fluent in what Shiro referred to as "Keith-ish." They saw his hesitation to talk about his father, and that the vision of Shiro abandoning him had actually deeply rattled him. (Especially considering only a day or two later, exactly that had happened.) Keith finished saying, "I don't think that's going to be what we're doing here though, Shiro will do his best to make sure we don't do anything seriously dangerous by follow their traditions because diplomacy." The others nodded understandingly.

They were quiet for a moment, then Lance said, "I didn't know that stuff about your parents. I mean, somehow I assumed you had some sort of mom figure even if it wasn't your birth mom. I guess the foster parent thing just didn't click..." Keith sighed tiredly. "My mom was never around, it wasn't a big deal, it just was, you know? My dad was who he was, and after a while that was just how it was too," he said. Pidge leaned on him a little. "I don't need you guys feeling bad about it though," he continued. "I had Shiro." They didn't really know how to answer that so they just watched the orange sky turn a deep red as the two suns set.

There was an air of quiet companionship amongst them, only interrupted when they heard Shiro and Allura's hushed voices coming down the hall. The teenagers turned around to see the two adults arguing under their breath.

"We can't ask this of them, they're kids!" Shiro was hissing at Allura, who looked affronted at being challenged. But she whispered back, "It's our chance to prove to the other faction of this planet that we are the real deal, that we can defeat Zarkon!" Hunk cleared his throat loudly, getting the adults to look at them. They looked alarmed at being caught.

Allura walked briskly up to them, Shiro trailing along after her, frowning deeply. "Paladins, we have three days to prepare for the Trials of Gloznik," she said, glaring at Shiro when he opened his mouth, presumably to argue more. The kids looked at each other anxiously. "What exactly are the Trials of Gloznik?" Hunk asked nervously. Shiro scoffed, making Allura's eyebrow twitch. "The King was right, they're barbaric!" he exclaimed. "You can opt out, okay, we won't-" he was silenced by another glare. Allura sighed deeply, "You can opt out, but I deeply encourage not doing so." Shiro seemed close to yelling when he grumbled, "We don't need these people, they aren't actually on our side." "We need anyone we can get," Allura snapped. "We can't coddle them! They are not just teenagers anymore, they are paladins!" she said this, finally whirling around to face Shiro.

The younger paladins all glanced at each other. Shiro never argued like this with Allura, and they all knew what it meant. The King was asking something very dangerous of them. Lance piped up, "What exactly is it we're doing?" He said it casually but there was a slight nervous tone. Shiro huffed at the question, gesturing to them at Allura, clearly saying 'you said they'd do it, you can deliver the news.' Allura did school her expression to be solemn at the question, looking to her paladins.

Allura did see where Shiro was coming from, as she gazed at the four. She did see them as children, and her family, but she had to be objective. Which Shiro seemed to forget.

"We cannot know the exact details, as it will be different for all of you. But the challenge is to take the style of combat you're weakest in, and complete a labyrinth of obstacles based on your weaknesses," She said. Shiro added, "They're going to _drug_ us as well." They stared at the two adults. "They can't do that!" Pidge said. "What kind of drug?" Keith asked. "We only have three days?!" Lance yelled. Allura nodded. "They can do as they wish, a hallucinogen, I believe, and yes, Lance. Three days," she said, watching their aghast expressions.

"We're quiznakking dead," said Hunk, and no one argued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well that is that  
> i hope you guys liked it, sorry there wasn't much baby, she and coran won't be away for long  
> you guys' positivity is so overwhelming i appreciate it so much please keep commenting it keeps me motivated


	4. Chapter 4

The paladins were taken to a training room in the castle. There was an amused air about the guard who brought them there, and Lance suspected that they were not an ally.

But the paladins groaned when they saw the room. It was filled with marshy obstacles and Shiro regretfully stared at their assigned weapons. Keith breathed out, "I'm gonna die..." His eyes were fixed on a bright red set of bow and arrows. The others agreed as they all gazed at their weapons.

Lance slowly picked up a blue sword and looked to Keith. "Help me," he begged. Keith nodded. "Do you have any idea..?" he trailed off, holding the bow. Lance made a so-so gesture with his hand. "My aim is good and I tried it once or twice at camp but... But I'll help however I can, okay?" He assured Keith, who nodded and gripped the wood tighter.

Hunk and Pidge were having a similar conversation, as Pidge could barely lift their green warhammer and Hunk nervously turned a grappling hook over in his hands. Shiro watched them, glad they could help each other but still feeling lost when he looked to his own assigned weapon. He looked at the flail, trying to get a feel for it in his hands but... Shiro looked to the others helplessly, and they grimaced back.

"Are they saying they want you to bludgeon your enemies to death?" Keith asked. Shiro winced. "I hope not. I mean... It's not extremely different from an axe, right? That's what I had in the ring," he felt himself grasping at straws. No one could help him figure out how to use this thing.

"Okay well," Pidge said, "All we can do now is try to figure out what weaknesses they think we have and how they will use it against us. Everything about what they're setting up is supposed to be our kryptonite, right?" They all nodded. "So, I'm going to have to be stealthy and probably have small spaces to fight in," Hunk said, knowing where Pidge was going. Pidge nodded. "Yep, and apparently I need to force my way through with brute strength."

Lance nodded slowly. "So they'll put me in hand to hand," he said, gesturing to the sword, "with no time to think." Keith scoffed. "And vice versa for me. Use strategy and be patient," he said, irritatedly. They all looked to Shiro, who shrugged. "I don't know? I try to be fairly even with my training so most of my skills are level with each other," he said, and Pidge frowned.

"There's gotta be something..." they mumbled, sitting on their large weapon. "In any case, we just prepare for as much as we can, right?" Keith said, elbowing Shiro. Shiro smiled tiredly and ruffled Keith's hair. "Yeah, yeah. Be prepared for anything," he agreed.

They decided to have Shiro try the obstacles first, since they had no idea with they were going to make him do. He gripped his flail, and after a beat, made a running start to leap over the patch of water of unknown depth. He managed to land in a marshy spot, and could feel his boots sinking and pulled his feet out of the sticky mud. Shiro glared at the course, trying to calculate his next move. The kids were shouting at him, trying to give him all different advice. He felt the weight of his flail and internally groaned at the forced use of it. He heard Lance shout a reference to Shrek and rolled his eyes fondly as the others groaned.

Shiro ran, splashing through the water and felt something touch his calf. He heard Hunk behind him ask, "Was that a crocodile?" anxiously. "Yeah, Hunk, it was a crocodile here on freaking Dagobah," Lance responded. Shiro wanted to laugh, but he was preoccupied with trying to watch the thing.

Suddenly it breached out of the water, attempting to bite him. (To Hunk's credit, it looked like if an angler fish was in the shape of a crocodile.) Shiro yelped, hitting it in the head clumsily with his flail. He heard a clunk, telling him it was mechanical. He wasn't sure if that was reassuring or not. The creature didn't go down fully, but it slowed it down enough for Shiro to run the the murky water, getting into the denser part of the maze. As soon as Shiro could manage it he got out of the water, sure that there were more creatures in it.

Just as he made it onto solid earth, (Can you call it that on another planet?) something whizzed by his head, making him duck. Shiro saw the walls shooting arrows at him. He hid behind a thick tree, looking around for an escape. Spotting some thick vines a bit away, he ran while being shot at. Grabbing the vines, Shiro pulled himself up to the trees. He caught his breath, hearing the kids cheering him on.

With the trees being so thick, Shiro was able to get from one to the other with his limited skill. He knew Pidge, or even Keith, would be much better at this, but with the water being dangerous and the arrows on land, he felt a bit trapped in the trees. Shiro peeked out of the branches to see where he was in the maze and groaned. This was very slow.

Shiro growled and cussed under his breath, landing on the ground and using his hand to slice enmities out of his way. He got to the end quickly and without anymore fuss. He turned, grinning at the kids. They were cheering but Shiro felt his gut sink. He had cheated, he wasn't trying to get used to his weapon at all.

Shiro returned easily, raising his arms in a shrug. "Not so bad," he joked. Keith friendly-punched his arm. "You didn't follow the rules, Dad," he teased. Shiro groaned at the nickname, but pushed Keith toward the starting line with a grin. "You do it then, if you're so smart."

But just as Keith's feet hit the starting point, the maze shifted. Suddenly there were no trees, just marsh and boulders. Keith gaped at it for a moment then turned back to the group, waving the bow.

"I don't even know how to use this!" he pouted, and Lance sidled up behind him. "Here," he said, moving Keith's arms to the right position, down to finger placement. Hunk and Pidge had to smother their giggles at Lance's pink cheeks. "Now pull back as far as you can," Lance said, ignoring them in favor of Keith's determined face. (He stuck his tongue out a bit and Lance definitely did not stare.) Keith pulled back all the way and Lance nodded. "Now do that with the arrows and you should be set, okay?" he said, letting go of Keith. Keith nodded, still glaring at the offending weapon.

Keith lunged into the terrain without anymore thought. "No Keith, stop and think!" called Shiro, but the other four just yelled nonsense. Keith was suddenly pelted with seemingly invisible archers. He whipped his head around, trying to see them, and trying to block out Lance, who kept shouting where they were.

Wait.

Keith pointed the bow and arrow straight at Lance's yelled point and shot. Or he meant to. He immediately started to fumble with the arrows, not quite able to string the bow, focus on the target and be fast. He dropped about three arrows in the black water. Keith yelled no words, but charged ahead, holding up his arms to shield his face from the oncoming arrows.

He ran face first into two boulders and got shot twice before getting to the end. "Arrows are fake!" he called to the others, pulling one off his abdomen.

He trudged back, to snickering from the rest of the group. "You just, dropped it?" Pidge giggled. Keith stuck his tongue out at them.

Lance jumped onto the platform, yelling, "Me next!" It shifted into almost all mud, no obstacles in sight. Everyone looked confusedly at it but Lance just held up his sword. "Two hands, Lance," Keith told him, still confused. Lance adjusted his grip, and they all saw his eyes darting around the course, growing increasingly frustrated.

"Lance, just go," Pidge said, exasperatedly. Lance nodded with a frown on his face and stepped onto the field. Suddenly robot soldiers started coming from out of the walls, Lance yelled and tried to weave through them but kept getting hit by their swords. Keith kept yelling advice Lance couldn't quite follow, as he was using technical technique terms. "Keith I don't know what you're saying!" he called back, getting hit in the chest again. "Hit them better!" He heard Keith shout. "Helpful!" he called back. Lance wove through the robots successfully, but the digital marks on his armor showed how many times he had been hit.

After Lance came back, dejected, Pidge glared at the course. They stepped on the platform, watching it change into a much more literal maze. Stone walls zigzagged all through out and Pidge laughed, half dragging their warhammer behind them.

Until they only found dead ends. As the others couldn't see them, they didn't shout, just waited, until they heard Pidge cuss loudly in frustration. "Use your weapon," Shiro called back. Pidge stared at the blank stone wall then at the hammer. They whined a little, heaving it up, and immediately toppled over. "I can't!" they yelled. They left the first corridor, without the hammer. "I can't use it, it's too big!" Pidge yelled from the edge of the labyrinth.

They all looked at each other, Hunk looking at his grappling hook with a frown. Shiro sighed, "Take a break, Pidge. Let's let Hunk try."

Hunk's maze was a water floor. Lance made an excited sound but Hunk looked up, seeing the ceiling was soft enough to take the hooks, but not necessarily hold his weight.

"If I get eaten my alligators, I love you guys," Hunk said, before diving in the water. Predictably, animals of all kinds started trying to attack. But Hunk shot his hook from one underwater spot to another, zooming through the water in a way that made Lance jump up and down. Hunk made it to his end point, quickly, and unharmed.

The other four whooped and cheered for him, as he took a sarcastic bow from the other side of the room. A path came out of the ground for him to walk back to them, getting high fives all around.

"Good thinking, Hunk, I wouldn't have tried that," Shiro said, clapping him on the back. Pidge punched him in the arm, glaring playfully. "Way to make me seem like a wuss," they said. Keith just grinned at him while Lance jumped all over his best friend, yelling nonsense. They all exited proud, to see Allura, Coran and baby Jezebel waiting for them.

"How did it go?" Allura asked, only to get an encore of Lance's excited bragging on Hunk's behalf. Coran laughed, starting in an anecdote about his time in "The Academy". "What about the rest of you, very good job Hunk," Allura asked, only to receive a much less enthusiastic response. "We did okay, not acceptably, though," Shiro reported, looking tired. "None of us but Hunk would have made it, if it were a real course." Allura frowned, "Well there are training rooms were you all can improve your work with your new weapons." She looked them all over then stopped. "Pidge, where is your assigned weapon?" she asked, testily. Hunk swung the large hammer over his shoulder. "They can't lift it, Princess," he supplied, to Allura's disappointment.

Jezebel watched all the commotion wide eyed. Until she saw Keith, at wish she started babbling and clicking. Keith's eyes brightened at the sight of her so excited. "Hey to you too," he said, letting her grab his finger with her whole fist. Coran smiled at him, an odd mix of melancholy and real happiness. Keith took her as they all talked, holding her up for a moment as she giggled down at him and he smiled back, then tucked her safe in his arms. Lance watched with a faraway smile, only to be nudged by Pidge.

Which unfortunately, seemed to catch Shiro's eye too. He looked between the preoccupied Keith, to the now flustered Lance and a mischievous smile crossed his face.

Allura, however, couldn't have cared less at the moment what shenanigans her paladins were up to now, because she was speaking in low tones with Coran, and words like "coup" and "siege" got to Shiro, so he caught up to them.

"What's going on?" he asked without preamble. Allura rubbed her temples, and Coran spoke up. "The King received intel that the rebels who wish to align with Zarkon may attempt an attack while we are here, so as to sabotage Voltron," he whispered. Shiro groaned. "Too many things," he said, tone sounding a bit of the whine he had at the Garrison, overwhelmed with schoolwork and learning how to care for himself. He often felt like he didn't get past that maturity level yet. Allura, however much more mature she seemed, shared the sentiment. "Agreed," she grumbled. "The faster we leave the happier I will be. Things were not reported as this volatile. They were supposed to be a loud minority." Shiro nodded emphatically.

Coran looked at these two people with so much responsibility, remembering suddenly how young they all are, not just the loud kids behind them.

Hunk, Pidge, and Lance were playing peekaboo with Jez as they figured out Galra babies have just as much object permanence as human babies. Keith watched them, finding his eyes stray to Lance laughing and smiling much more then the other two. He wasn't too surprised by this, however. Keith found himself watching Lance frequently lately. He didn't think about it too much. He was a gay teenage boy with only two viable options at this point, he wasn't to blame for watching Lance while he trained or danced or laughed. Perfectly natural.

Hunk caught his eye, though, and his face split into an evil grin. Keith shook his head imperceptibility. Hunk shrugged, but continued to look very smug.

The kids separated from the whispering grownups with a shared look of concern, but they were waved off by Shiro, assured that they'd fill them in later. Lance shrugged, "They probably don't want us to freak out if it's nothing to worry about." "But what if it is something to worry about," Keith frowned, and Pidge nodded. "I'm honestly pretty wary of these guys," they muttered. Hunk frowned. "No sense worrying until we know something," he said and Lance gestured at him. "Why we are best friends," he said happily.

They all sat, grimacing out of sight of the locals. (Who wants to sit on more freaking mud?) Lance sat close to Keith, quickly cooing at Jezebel when the others smirked. "Glad to see you again, Jez," he said, poking her tummy to a little squeal that petered out onto a soft purr. "She's a kitten!" Lance whined to the others. Hunk smiled down at her too, gently running a finger over the ridge on the top of her head. "Do you think Keith would be fluffy like this too? Or like the scaly kinda Galra?" Hunk wondered. Keith rolled his eyes. "I don't know, depends on who my mom was, I guess," he said, giving Hunk a side eye. Hunk shrugged, looking Keith over. "You're already pretty fluffy, do you look like your dad?" he asked, an Keith shrugged. "No, at least I don't think so. My memory is pretty fuzzy, to be honest," he said and the others felt their hearts tug at his casualness.

"I figured he died..." Lance whispered, then looked horrified. "I'm sorry! We don't gotta talk about this, good God, I'm a dick," he rambled but Keith gave him a wan smile. "Lance, I'm fine," he assured. "I hate the guy." The others stared for a moment before Hunk subtly changed the subject

The conversation moved out such sensitive territory fairly quickly, Keith not offering up any more information about his childhood. But the few things he said hung in the back of Lance's head. It was easy to picture a little Keith, underfed, and living in the shack he had taken them to the day they rescued Shiro. He watched Keith talk and laugh under his breath. Suddenly a lot of Keith's guarded behavior made sense. But the contrast his guarded exterior, Keith was tender and soft with Jezebel. He held her close, whispered in her ear and cared for her every need. Lance absently wondered if Keith was trying to be the opposite of his own dad.

Pretty soon, suns had set and they were headed to their rooms in the castle. Lance watched Keith stop by the nursery, Jezebel relinquishing him much more easily then before. Keith exited to the empty hall, except Lance.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked, and Lance jerked out of his little trance. "Oh nothin'," he said, smiling. "She's been easier to handle lately, huh?" Lance asked, trying to keep their easy conversations going. (He did notice it was much easier to talk since Jezebel arrived in their lives.) Keith smiled back shyly and nodded. "Yeah, she's really warmed up to everyone," he said softly, running a hand through his hair. Lance nodded. "I uh- I guess I'll see the two of you in the morning," he said, touching the door handle. (Wood, thank quiznak.) Keith nodded, and Lance suddenly said, "Unless you want me to do her morning routine? Give you a break?"

Keith looked surprised but relaxed into a wide, dimpled smile. "That would be awesome, Lance. Thank you," he sounded grateful and so soft that Lance couldn't imagine not offering. "Of course, man," he said, attempting to suppress his grin. "Anything for little Jez."

Something passed between them at the comment. Keith looked caught off guard but nodded a little. "Um, yeah. Jez," he said and Lance felt a blush creep up. "Yeah. Jezzie." Keith huffed a tiny laugh at the nickname, but the weird energy didn't dissipate until he mumbled a goodnight and went into his room. Lance did the same, groaning once on the other side of the door.

"Quiznak."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow that took five ever  
> i apologize for the long wait  
> idk why this one was so hard (yes i do i hate writing scenes that aren't 90% dialogue)

**Author's Note:**

> aaaah okay so that happened  
> pls let me know what you thought and i do have more chapters started but i gotta majorly edit bc i wrote them at fic in the morning and they're probably bad


End file.
